Poll: What was the best part of the Oscars telecast?

Never mind, for just one moment, all the griping about the Oscar telecast. Yes, there were some disappointments — and we asked you to vote for the worst one here. Now we ask you to vote on the best.

There were lots of ceremony highlights over 3 hours and 15 minutes. That "Inception" montage at the beginning was a real winner. Songs sung by Celine Dion ("Smile") and Anne Hathaway ("Les Miserables") made us smile. Plus more. What was your favorite?

— Tom O'Neil

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Photo: Billy Crystal at the Oscars. Credit: Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[a.m.]

I thought the worst part was the intros by Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock to the lead actors. I was actually embarrassed for the actors.

[tom]

I thought the best part was seeing the montage of 'best picture' nominees. Worst part - Kirk Douglas.

[Jovi Monreve]

celine is very beautiful...what a graceful performance....

[JSD]

1) No reason to watch them walking. When someone's presenting from the left side of the stage, the next presenter(s) should be getting ready on the other side.
2) Lose the songs.
3) Hosting is a skill, mostly about comedic timing and wit. The host doesn't have to be a headliner, just a good comedian with the aforementioned skills.
4) The lame jokes were the result of backlash from Ricky Gervais's comments at the Golden Globes, and that sensitivity looks bad on the world's wealthiest entertainers.
5) The pomp and circumstance are unwanted. As several attendees noted on the red carpet, "It's just nice to see erveryone dressed up".
6) If you don't have anything witty and entertaining to say when receiving your award, shake the presenter's hand, say "Thank you" and leave. The show is being watched for its entertainment value, not to find out who your "team" is.
7) The separate awards banquet isn't televised for a reason - no one wants to see it. Don't waste time with it on this telecast either.
8) Keep some writers working backstage to come up with funny lines based upon previous events in the telecast. If that's already been happening, then get better writers.
9) Eliminate co-hosts, unless they're people who already have a history of working well together.
10) Relegate presentation of some awards to that dinner no one wants to watch. Start with Art Direction, Costume Design, Film Editing, Make-Up, and take Soudn Editing and Sound Mixing with them.

[Bradford Talamon]

I would have to say that the best part of this Oscars telecast was the end of it.